Movies Timeline and Canon
As the Evil Dead franchise began to expand into other mediums in the decades following the first film's release in 1981, several alternate timelines (or "continuities") have been created by third party companies given the official sub-licence to the films involving the Evil Dead Universe that stray away from the original "prime" continuity created by Sam Raimi. This page contains all known continuities, chronological orders, and notes regarding "non-canon" information. Original "Prime" Continuity (Films/TV Series) The prime Evil Dead continuity is home to the version of Ash Williams played on-screen by Bruce Campbell in The Evil Dead (1981), Evil Dead II (1987), Army of Darkness (1993), and Ash vs Evil Dead (2015-2018). This timeline is what is officially recognized as "canon" by Raimi and the Renaissance Pictures team, anything else is a part of expanded universe and is not canon unless stated so by the proper sources. Non-Canon Notes Some elements presented in the films (such as in-universe claims that the cabin is located in Tennessee, Ash's arrival in the middle ages in Evil Dead II, and parts of the recap sequences from Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness) have been removed from canon with the release of Ash vs Evil Dead. Below is a list of specific "non-canon" events with the corresponding film. #''The Evil Dead'' #*Ash statement that the cabin was located in Tennessee was deemed non-canon by Ash vs Evil Dead. #*Scotty's statement that the cabin was a rental was deemed non-canon by Evil Dead II and Ash vs Evil Dead. #''Evil Dead II'' #*The sign on the side of Jake's truck once again claims that the film took place in Tennessee. Once again, this claim was removed from canon by Ash vs Evil Dead. #*The opening recap depicting Ash and Linda as the only visitors to the cabin was clarified to be non-canon with Ash vs Evil Dead directly stating that Ash and his four friends all making the trip. (however a line in Season 2, where Ash first looks for Necronomicon on the desk, but wonders if he actually found it in the basement, might be a reference to location of the book in both Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness flashbacks which only show him studying the book at the desk vs. its actual location in Evil Dead) #*The closing sequence with Ash being worshiped by the knights and shooting the winged Deadite were removed from canon by Army of Darkness. #''Army of Darkness'' #*The opening recap sequence once again depicting Ash and Linda as the only visitors to the cabin were deemed non-canon by Ash vs Evil Dead. The only part of this recap remaining canon is the flashback showing Ash and Linda working at S-Mart prior to going to the cabin. #*The "Apocalypse" ending released in as the "International Theatrical Release" version was shown to be non-canon by Ash vs Evil Dead. ''It should be noted that some later international releases of the film combined both the "Apocalypse" and "S-Mart" endings, with a title card edited between the two scenes explaining that the "Apocalypse" sequence was a dream while Ash was sleeping his way back to his time. The ''Army of Darkness comics have also offered the explanation that the "Apocalypse" ending occurred in an alternate reality, as implied in Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness. #''Ash vs Evil Dead'''' (Seasons 1, 2, & 3) #*For legal reasons, the events of ''Army of Darkness could not be directly mentioned in Ash vs Evil Dead, although it had been confirmed by cast and crew that the events depicted in "Army" are canon. THQ Games Timeline Two of the four Evil Dead video games released by THQ in the early 2000s followed one continuous storyline. The first entry in the series implied that the events at the Knowby Cabin occurred in 1992, eight years prior to the game's setting of the year 2000. # Evil Dead: Hail To The King # Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick #* "A Fistful of Boomstick" takes place three years after "Hail To The King". Main Dynamite "Army of Darkness" Comics Timeline The largest of the alternate Evil Dead timelines, this reality was given the numerical designation of Earth-818793 when it became part of the Marvel Comics Multiverse following the Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness crossover. This continuity placed the events of the Evil Dead trilogy in the early 21st Century, oppose to the 1980s (when the films were originally released). # Tales of Army of Darkness #* "You Have No Honor" short story takes place during the events of the Army of Darkness film. # Ashes 2 Ashes # Tales of Army of Darkness #* The "A Dame, A Dimwit, & Deadites" short story takes place immediately after "Ashes 2 Ashes". # Shop 'Till You Drop Dead # Army of Darkness vs. Re-Animator # Old School # Ash Vs. The Classic Monsters # The Death of Ash # Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness # ''From the Ashes'' # ''The Long Road Home'' # ''Home Sweet Hell'' # ''King For A Day'' # Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash # Ash's Christmas Horror # Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash: The Nightmare Warriors # ''Hellbillies and Deadnecks'' # Montezuma's Revenge # Water, Water, Everywhere... # League of Light, Assemble! # Army of Darkness/Xena Warrior Princess: Why Not? # Xena Warrior Princess/Army of Darkness: What, Again? # Tales of Army of Darkness ("Runaway" short story) # Army of Darkness Volume 3 # Prophecy # Army of Darkness vs. Hack/Slash # Army of Darkness/Reanimator # Army of Darkness #1992.1 #* "Promotion Commotion" and "Rockwellicon" are the only stories featured in the comic to be canon to this timeline. # Furious Road # Army of Darkness/Xena Warrior Princess: Forever…And A Day #* Forever...And A Day #1-4 take place prior to the events of the Furious Road series. Issues #5 and 6 take place after Furious Road #6. # Army of Darkness: Halloween Special ''("''Cemetery Man" short story) "Ash & The Army of Darkness" Comics Timeline In 2013, Dynamite Entertainment attempted a reboot of their Army of Darkness line of comics, which lasted for several miniseries. It is unknown if the events of the first Evil Dead film are treated as canon in this timeline, as there are references to events from the later two films. # Ash and the Army of Darkness # Ash and the Army of Darkness Annual 2014 # Ash Gets Hitched #* The short story "Return To The Windmill" featured in Army of Darkness #1992.1 takes place right in the middle of the second issue of "Ash Gets Hitched". # Army of Darkness #1992.1 #* The "Prelude To Ash In Space" story is the next chronological event to occur after the events of the "Ash Gets Hitched" series. All other short stories featured in this issue (minus "Return To The Windmill") are not canon to this timeline. # Ash In Space "Evil Dead 2" Comic Timeline Space Goat Publishing's Evil Dead 2 comics only acknowledged the events depicted in the Evil Dead II film (with several allusions to elements from Army of Darkness). Once again, the events at the cabin were moved to modern times (2014, in this case) instead of the 1980s. Titles marked with an asterisk are possibly non-canon, as they feature events that conflict with the events of the main series (though they all mention the events of "Beyond Dead By Dawn"). # Tales of The Ex-Mortis ## The Lottery Parts 1 & 2 ## Das Book ## Soul Power Parts 1, 2, & 3 # Beyond Dead By Dawn #0 #* Beyond Dead By Dawn #0 was a prequel story set prior to the events of the Evil Dead films. All stories listed after this take place after the Evil Dead II film # ''Beyond Dead By Dawn'' # [http://evildead.wikia.com/wiki/Evil_Dead_2:_Revenge_of_Hitler Revenge of Hitler] # ''Revenge of Dracula'' # ''Revenge of The Martians''*'' # [[Evil Dead 2: Revenge of Jack The Ripper|''Revenge of Jack The Ripper]]*'' # ''Revenge of Krampus* # ''A Merry Deadite X-Mas'' # ''Cradle of The Damned'' # [http://evildead.wikia.com/wiki/Evil_Dead_2:_Dark_Ones_Rising Dark Ones Rising] # Doppelganger Wars ''(Cancelled before release, see "Space Goat Productions" and "Evil Dead 2: The Official Board Game" for more information) # ''Ash 2.0 ''(Cancelled before release) # [[Evil Dead 2: Revenge of Evil Ed|''Revenge of Evil Ed]] Self-Contained Timelines (Miscellaneous) The following list is of self contained continuities, timelines that are independent from any of the previously listed timelines and of each other. Many of these titles listed are one-off stories that have no sequels, but the exceptions will be listed. Films * Within The Woods (1978 Short) * Evil Dead (2013) Video Games * Evil Dead Regeneration * Poker Night 2 ** Though there are allusions to the events of the Freddy Vs. Jason Vs. Ash comic series (implying this is the Ash of Earth-818793), Ash is completely aware he is a fictional character. * Dead By Daylight Comic Books * Army of Darkness (1992 Comic Adaptation) * Tales of Army of Darkness ** The "Weekend Off", "Till Death Do Us Part", and "Necromomicon" short stories are all in one timeline. All other stories featured in the issue were placed in their proper timeline. * Darkman Vs. Army of Darkness * The Evil Dead (2008 Comic) * Ash Saves Obama ** Ash For President is a sequel to Ash Saves Obama. * Danger Girl And The Army of Darkness ** While not canon to any other Evil Dead timeline, this series is canon to the Danger Girl continuity. * Army of Darkness #1992.1 ("Ash Beyond" short story) * Convention Invasion * Vampirella/Army of Darkness * KISS/Army of Darkness * Ash Vs. The Army of Darkness ** A follow-up story ("Scared Shipless") was featured in the Army of Darkness: Halloween Special one-shot. * Army of Darkness/Bubba Ho-Tep ** AOD/Bubba is a sequel to IDW's "Bubba Ho-Tep & The Cosmic Blood Suckers" comic. * The Army of Darkness: Ash The Author * Death To The Army of Darkness